Approved: 09.12.2006

Tumim and Prendergast

Artist, Maker, Writer

Approved: 09.12.2006

"Tumim & Prendergast explore the concepts of our temporal existence and cast-off items we often ignore. Accident and chance also play a part alongside their characteristic humour (often dark). They offer us clues - to research further and of lives lived." (Art historian Lorna Johnston 2011) We enjoy collaborating with groups of all ages, individual arts practitoners and those from other disciplines, including writers, composers, poets and scientists.

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News

     

    Artist Statement

    "Tumim & Prendergast explore the concepts of our temporal existence and cast-off items we often ignore. Accident and chance also play a part alongside their characteristic humour (often dark). They offer us clues - to research further and of lives lived." (Art historian Lorna Johnston 2011) We enjoy collaborating with groups of all ages, individual arts practitoners and those from other disciplines, including writers, composers, poets and scientists.

    Each piece of work or installation project should beguile the eye of the viewer, the skills employed being integral to the concept behind each artwork. Many of our ideas develop "on the hoof", through the making process. By drawing, painting or embroidering replicas of "throw-away" items as tenderly and lovingly as we can, we are paying tribute to those who have lost or discarded them – for whatever reason. Each item we depict takes on a symbolic status that is part of a bigger picture. The ephemera that floats between all our lives, including images of fleeting moments, is sometimes more emotionally charged and tells more of a story than the objects or formal portraits and momentos we expect to be represented by.

    The direction of our practice is increasingly political. We are interested in what it means to be silenced and have been researching the concept of ‘Gaslighting’ particularly from our personal experience of Health and Social Care provision.

    Tumim & Prendergast 2019

    CV & Education

    Curriculum Vitae
    Matilda Tumim & Chris Prendergast (BA, MA RCA)

    Tumim & Prendergast
    Residencies & Public Commissions
    2012 - Balfour Hospital and Peedie Sea Centre Art Commission, Appointed by Grampian Hospitals Arts Trust (GHAT), Orkney 
    2008 - 2nd Floor Lift Lobby, Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital (RACH)
    2008 - "Favourite Things" doodles and jigsaw artworks for RACH, Glaitness Primary School, Kirkwall, Orkney
    2008 - 'Wallflowers' artworks project in the nursery courtyard , St. Margaret's Hope Primary School, South Ronaldsay
    2006 - pARTners Artists in Residence - Scottish Arts Council, Papdale Primary School, Kirkwall Orkney 

    Private & Third Sector Commissions 
    2012 - 73 LEAVES, For permanent display at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), Main entrance NCVO headquarters, Islington, London 
    2007 - "The Gallant Weaver" - choral settings of words by Robert Burns, CD cover artwork and design, To be widely distributed (see http://www.mayfield-singers.org/ for more details) 
    2005 - "Constellation"- A drawing commission for 'Tullimentan' show case for the Arts in Orkney 
    2005, The Pier Arts Centre, Touring around Orkney 

    Exhibitions:

    2021 - Surreal Estate (postponed solo show) WASPS project room gallery, Meadow Mill, Dundee 2021 Screen Test - a first ever online group exhibition for WASPS artists. 2019 - Little Originals, Dock Street, Dundee
    2019 - WASPS Open Studios 
    2017 - THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE, Suttie Arts Space, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary 
    2016 - BOTTLED UP, Pier Arts Centre, Stromness
    2012 - 73 LEAVES, Permanent wall installation, National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) Kings Cross, London
    2012 - BREAD & ROSES, Motorcade Flash Parade, Bristol 
    2012 - EMBROIDERED NARRATIVES, Bank Street Arts, Sheffield 
    2011 - 73 LEAVES, The Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh
    2011 - RETRIEVE, Limousine Bull, Aberdeen 
    2009 - SMALL VOLUMES, Timespan, Helmsdale
    2009 - TRAVELLING LIGHT, WW and Pharos Galleries, London and Venice Biennale 
    2009 - IMPOSSIBLE EXCHANGE, Frieze Art Fair, London 
    2008  - LAST POST, Corsespace, Aberdeenshire 
    2008 - ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE - Permanent display, Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital (RACH)
    2007 - A YEAR OF CONSEQUENCE, The Orkney Museum, Kirkwall, Orkney 
    2007 - CONSEQUENCES, The Pier Arts Centre, Stromness, Orkney 
    2006 - COUPLING, The Peedie Gallery, Arts Development Office, Orkney Island Council 
    2005 - WEDDED, Stromness Public Library, Stromness, Orkney 
    2004 - FOUL FlORA, WEIRD WAVES, The Loft Gallery, St.Margaret's Hope, Orkney 

    Talks & Presentations

    2021 Artists Talk at preview of online group exhibition, Screen Test 

    2020 - invited to host a studio visit via Zoom to explain our Surreal Estate project architecture students at Westminster University 

    2020 - artists talk for sponsored solo exhibition "Surreal Estate" 
    2010 - Threads and Leaves - A talk about our collaborative art practice, Heriot Watt School of Textiles, Galashiels 
    2008 - A presentation of our work, The Pier Arts Centre, Stromness, Orkney 
    2007 - Consequences - a musical response, St. Magnus Festival, Kirkwall, Orkney 
    2006 - Professional Practice and Crossover - a presentation, Highlands & Islands Visual Arts Gathering, Hi-Arts, The Macphail Centre, Ullapool 

    Publications 
    2011 – Cover of Hoopla - The Art of Unexpected Embroidery by Leanne Prain, and full chapter on the work of Tumim & Prendergast
    2011 - Inclusion of "Promise" in Words are all we have by Rachel Marsden
    2009 - Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital - Artworks 2 - a book celebrating the hospital's ongoing artwork programme 
    2008 - Illustration of artwork in an Orkney Anthology of Poetry

    Matilda Tumim
    Education
    1986-88  Post Graduate Fine Art  Painting, The Royal College of Art, London 
    1982-85  Fine Art Degree, Falmouth School of Art 
    1981-82  Art Foundation, Chelsea School of Art

    Chris Prendergast
    Education
    1982-85  Fine Art Degree, Falmouth School of Art 
    1981-82  Art Foundation, Winchester School of Art

    Website: https://www.tumimprendergast.com/